National Association of Women Artists

The National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) is a United States organisation for women involved in fine art. It was founded in 1889 as the Woman's Art Club of New York, at a time when women did not have parity with men in the National Academy of Design and the Society of American Artists. In 1913 it was renamed National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, and the current name was adopted in 1941.^[1]

Its mission statement is:^[2]

"The purpose of the Association is to promote culture and education in the visual arts through exhibitions of its member's works, lectures, art demonstrations, scholarships, awards and other educational programs.

The Association shall foster public awareness of, and interest, in works of art with emphasis on fine art created by women. It will encourage new emerging artists through all appropriate means".

The National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), founded in 1889, is the oldest professional women's fine arts organization in the United States, continually providing a forum for women artists to share ideas and exhibit their work.^[3] The organization has been promoting and nurturing the work of professional women artists, sponsoring local and national exhibitions, offering merit prizes, lectures and special events for its 850+ membership, and hosting ongoing exhibitions at its headquarters address in NYC. I was invited to the annual meeting and luncheon where Margaret Krug, Senior Lecturer at the Whitney Museum of American Art, spoke about Teaching Materials and the process of writing her recent book, An Artist’s Handbook (reviewed in ART TIMES Jan/Feb ’08 issue). Judith Cantor, outgoing president, spoke about the many activities of the previous year and then introduced the recipients of the Volunteer Awards: Gloria Spevacek. Susan G. Hammond was introduced as the new President and she spoke about the needs of the organization, her hopes for the upcoming year. It was an excellent introduction to her term of office — a “state of what’s to be” speech. After the luncheon we were all invited back to the NAWA office and Gallery for the reception of the members’ group exhibit “Spring into Summer”.^[4]

Members

Jan Aronson Theresa Bernstein Louise Upton Brumback Ruth Payne Burgess Nessa Cohen Eve Drewelowe Emma Eilers Lydia Field Emmet Anna S. Fisher Ruth VanSickle Ford

Wilda Gerideau-Squires Susan G. Hammond Cleo Hartwig Margaret Hoard Margaret Wendell Huntington Frances Kornbluth Mary Fife Laning Carol Lummus Emma Fordyce MacRae Gayle Gibbons Madeira

Mina Fonda Ochtman Clara Elsene Peck Lucia Peka Alexandra Pregel Augusta Savage Grete Margaret Schüller Anita Miller Smith Natalie Arras Tepper Cornelia Seckel Gail Levin

References

1. "History". NAWA. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
2. "About us". NAWA. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
3. Genocchio, Benjamin (27 February 2009). "Primer and Show on Women Who Loved and Created Art". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
4. http://www.arttimesjournal.com/CultSpeak/july_Aug08/Jul_aug08.htm

Briggs, Berta N. (1932). "The National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors". Parnassus 4 (4): 33–33. doi:10.2307/770930. ISSN 1543-6314. Retrieved 2016-02-07.

External links

• Official website